1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an arrangement for intermediate storage of packages, comprising a transport path for transporting packages from a loading station to a transfer station. The invention relates also to a method for intermediate storage of packages, wherein packages are transported from a loading station to a transfer station by means of a transport path.
2. Description of the Related Art
In shipping arrangements for newspapers there is often the need to intermediately store newspapers collected in the form of packages. This is, for example, especially required when disturbances in the newspaper production occur or the vehicles to be loaded are not available. Such an intermediate storage, however, may also be planned.
In the past, packages which were to be stored intermediately, were stacked by hand and placed onto pallets. The packages were then manually removed from these pallets and placed onto conveying belts or directly loaded into the vehicles. Since efficient devices produce many packages in a very short period of time, this loading and unloading of pallets can be very personnel-intensive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement of the aforementioned kind which allows a simple and inexpensive intermediate storage.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that for intermediate storage at least one further transport path is provided by which at least one storage surface can be loaded with packages and from which the packages can be unloaded in the transport direction, respectively.
The arrangement according to the invention for intermediate storage is thus provided with at least one further transport path and this transport path has at least one storage surface which can be loaded in the transport direction with packages and from which packages can be unloaded in the transport direction by means of a conveying device. Accordingly, for intermediate storage the packages are transferred onto a further transport path. This transport path has a storage surface as well as a conveying device with which the storage surface can be loaded and unloaded in the transport direction. The loading and unloading of the storage surface can be carried out automatically and also program-controlled by means of the conveying device.
Expediently, several storage surfaces are provided which are serviced by one or more conveying devices. An especially large number of packages can be stored intermediately when several storage surfaces are provided which can be moved away by the conveying device. Accordingly, once a storage surface has been loaded with packages, it is moved by the conveying device and a further storage surface is then loaded by the conveying device. The storage surface is preferably configured such that the packages are positioned without gaps in a row adjacent to one another on the storage surface. This allows storage of the packages intermediately according to routing requirements or efficient loading requirements. A storage surface, for example, then receives all those packages which are designated for sales locations within a certain area. A further storage surface then receives packages designated for another area. When loading the vehicles, this order remains intact.
According to a preferred embodiment, several storage surfaces are combined to a storage unit, for example, a box. This storage unit can then be moved away after loading by means of the conveying device. Conceivable is also an embodiment in which the storage unit is stationary and the conveying device is movable.
The further (second) transport path is preferably linear and has an entry location which is near the loading station. An exit of this second transport path is arranged in the vicinity of the transfer station (vehicle loading station). The conveying device or the storage surface can then be moved in a direction transverse to the transport direction. This makes it possible to arrange several parallel storage surfaces in a space-saving manner. The storage units with these storage surfaces can, for example, be moveably supported on rails.
In accordance with the present invention, the method achieves the above-mentioned goal in that the packages for intermediate storage are transported to a further transport path and these packages are transported away by this further transport path for loading onto vehicles.
According to the method of the invention, the packages, for intermediate storage, are transported in a row to a further transport path having at least one storage surface and these packages, for loading onto vehicles, are transported away by this further transport path. An especially large storage space is available when according to a further embodiment of the method the packages are arranged in a dense formation for intermediate storage. This densification is carried out preferably by sequentially performed transport and waiting periods or steps. The intermediately stored packages are then arranged substantially gap-free in a row. Preferably, several such rows are arranged parallel and adjacent to one another.